A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an identification system. More particularly, the invention relates to an identification system employing fingerprints which provides a three point check for identifying an individual to assure accuracy.
B. Statement of the Prior Art
Fingerprints are well known as a form of individual identification. However, while fingerprints can be compared to determine their correlation, this information must be combined with other checks to assure proper identification, i.e., associating the fingerprint with the name or other identifying indication for an individual. This is particularly important in areas where counterfitting and fraud are problems, such as in alien and welfare identification cards, and social security and check cashing identification.
It has been known in the prior art to employ fingerprints on identification cards, but not as a system that provides, at point-of-transaction, correlation of: I.D. card, I.D. card holder, and data bank. It is also known to classify fingerprints by various classification systems, which generally are based on the Henry system. A fingerprint classification by coordinate system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,419,287 to Rudie. U.S. Pat. No. 2,048,879 to Moran discloses a means of transmitting fingerprint characteristics wherein a grid is superimposed over a fingerprint and various characteristics in some of the grid-squares noted. In this manner, identification of a fingerprint can be made without having the fingerprint in question available for visual comparison. Thus, according to the Moran invention, various characteristics are selected from the fingerprint with their location on the grid being listed. The characteristics listed are not disclosed to be set forth in any specific order, nor are any identifiers assigned to the characteristics themselves.